Lessons in Thailand

So, our first lesson came on our 11 hour train ride from Bangkok to Phuket, which turned into 14 hours, followed by a 4 hour bus ride. We opted for 2nd class sleeper car seats, which was perhaps our first mistake. We had our own bunks with a curtain, but the beds were lined up side by side and on top of each other, all the way down the car. The train itself was SO rocky, bouncing back and forth and up and down, it was almost impossible to sleep. The train car itself had small cockroaches crawling around before it pulled out of the station, but perhaps they were deterred by the shakiness of the train because I didn't see them once we started going. Sometimes the train would stop in the middle of the night for unknown reasons, and Alec and I would look at each other from across our bunks with concern. The worst part was the shared bathrooms: Literal holes in the ground with spaces for your feet that were covered in who knows what sorts of liquids... and because the train was 14 hours long, I had to go 3 times. Which is 3 times too many.

ANYWAY, after almost 20 hours of travel (the 10 minute cab ride to the train station took over one hour in Bangkok traffic), we arrived on the beach in Phuket to $4 massages, 50 cent beers, and $1.50 pad thai. So it was worth it. We are here for 5 days, where we will lay on the beach and cheaply pamper ourselves, and then head to the island of Koh Samui for another 6 days of pampering. I guess we can't really complain. We'll just take 1st class on the way back and hope it's somewhat of an improvement.

Before we came to Phuket, we were in Bangkok for 3 days. I found it to be an amazing, vibrant, exciting place. While it is dirty and smoggy and loud and SMELLY, and you can't cross the street without praying for your life, it is such a unique and thrilling cultural experience.

To begin with, the food is DELICIOUS. Imagine the best Thai restaurant in the Bay Area and it tastes just like that, only slightly better, and it will only cost you $1.50. Alec and I have been able to eat appetizers, entrees, and get drinks for under $6 or $8 TOTAL every time. A taxi will drive you all across town and it will cost you 70 baht (or a little under $2). There is no way to be prepared for how cheap Thailand actually is, it's crazy! There are nice bags and shirts and dresses and souvenirs all for under $10.

Like I mentioned, the driving is a little out there. There are virtually no rules to the road. No lanes, constant traffic, people riding around on scooters without helmets and wearing flip-flops with babies sandwiched between them, open-air 3 seat tuk tuk mobiles... and while there are "stoplights," it doesn't seem like they really apply here. So, crossing the street is a daredevil act every time. I try to link up with others crossing, assuming that maybe crossing in numbers is a "safer" way to go?

That's all for now. We are both thrilled to be here and looking forward to 2 weeks of pure relaxation!